


Sweeter than a cafe moccha

by captainhurricane



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Gen, M/M, implied platonic polymachina, yes that coffeeshop au eat me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-04
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2020-10-10 01:16:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20519567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainhurricane/pseuds/captainhurricane
Summary: Similar kind of mischief, as in the eyes of the lovely Vex’ahlia, lingers on Vax’s face. “Shaun Gilmore,” Vax says, softly.Gilmore winks.





	Sweeter than a cafe moccha

**Author's Note:**

> first try writing these disastrous dumbasses
> 
> unbetaed

Vox Macchiato had begun as a throwaway line a few years ago, during one of the many, many lovely evenings spent with the good ale and the bad beer and all the best friends.

Keyleth had grumbled about coffee first, mentioning how there are no good places near her prestigious Academy. Vax and Vex, in the middle of the fifth round of rock-paper-scissors, had shared identical looks of half-drunk glee. 

“I’ve been thinking-” Vex had started, clearly seeing future profits. “You Academy peeps clearly are hungry for some good old caffeine.” Vax hums his confirmation. Not quite so blunt with his feelings as his twin, he leans to whisper something in his Vex’s ear. She cackles. A row of empty bottles litter their feet, some are promptly kicked towards Keyleth, who’s going through the grumpy moments of her drunkenness: soon to make way for the usual giggly wild-eyed drunk Kiki. 

“I bake,” murmurs Percy from somewhere in Scanlan’s lap. For someone as fancy as Percy, he doesn’t hold his alcohol as well as Scanlan and the twinsies. Percy pats Scanlan’s knee absent-mindedly and accidentally kicks a snoring Grog. 

Scanlan is too busy petting Percy’s short-shorn hair and holding Pike’s hand to gesture, so he merely twists a little to blink at the twins. “Coffeeshop?” 

“Sounds lovely,” Pike says brightly, nursing her glass of elegant wine of very little alcohol content. As usual, when the others are messy haired with red cheeks, clothes in disarray, half-laying on each other: Pike is a vision of radiant adorableness. She pets Scanlan’s hand gently. “But it is not a simple matter.” She takes a sip and gently directs Scanlan’s hand to join its pair on Percy’s head. 

“Pfffsssttthhaaww, details,” murmurs Percy. He stretches his obscenely long legs. His voice slurs adorably. “I’ll do your accounting, twinsies.”

“Thank you, darling,” purrs Vex. She grabs another can of whatever and opens it. “We could even get Tibby to see around for the landlords and shit.” She gestures and sloshes some of her drink to the floor. Thankfully it’s the old, shaggy carpet that’s eaten its fair share of potato chips and drinks and only a droplet ends up on the still snoring Grog. So nobody minds. 

“Ti-Tiberius is busy,” Vax hums and flops down on the floor to join his friends. He wraps an arm around Keyleth’s shoulders and leans his back against the wall. His legs stretch ahead, thrown over Percy’s legs. 

“Tibby, Tibby, I miss Tibby.” Keyleth giggles. “Hehe. Tibby. What-Whatcha gonna call the coffeeplace? I’ll be your most devoted customer!”

“We could call it Vox Macchiato,” Scanlan snickers. “Get it? Because we’re like, a group, Vox Machine.. Machina.” He leans backwards and grins at the twins. They offer identical looks of amusement at him.

Vex flops down on Keyleth’s other side and also wraps an arm around Keyleth. “Darling, we’ll hire you to do some decorating too. And we’ll even make those sugary concoctions you love so much.” Vex empties her can in three huge gulps.

“Awwww.” Keyleth reaches to tug one of Vex’s braids. “This is why you two are my favourite twinsies. Twinsters. Vexypoo. Vaxypoo.” 

Vax snorts. “We’re the only twins you know, Kiki.”

Vex gives Keyleth a smacking kiss on the cheek. “But we’re the best ones you’ll ever know.”    
Keyleth nods enthusiastically. She wraps her arms around both of their waists and squeezes. “Let's let's-” her words slur. Her brief moment of grumbling about the lack of proper coffee is all gone and it’s replaced by the usual giddiness. Even her mane of glorious hair that had gone flat from its fancy hairdo, is now bouncing along with her movements. “Let’s drink more! Why’s Grog asleep! Hey Grog, Groggy, Grogggyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, wakey, wakeyyyyy~” she crawls away from the twins to pinch Grog’s cheek. 

Grog, naturally, is a heavy sleeper. So it takes a slap to his cheek and frantic shaking for him to crack one eye open. 

“Grrughogh?” He says. 

“Coffee!” Keyleth chirps. 

“Don’t like it,” Grog grumbles. He yawns and stretches his massive arms. 

He, of course, gets the gist of the story from the others. Grog guffaws. “I don’t get the obsession with coffee. You should drink more booze!” 

“Can’t drink alcohol when you’re going to classes, big guy,” Vax says fondly and reaches to poke Grog with his toes. 

“Pffft, classes,” says Grog. 

The topic of the conversation then changes to said classes and education in general: Pike tells a particularly interesting tale about her time at her nearby Temples, kind of like a job practice. She smiles serenely and flushes with pleasure when she makes her friends laugh. Keyleth recounts her first year at the Academy and doesn’t quite get why her packed schedule gets some outraged gasps. 

The floor of Scanlan and Grog’s Bachelor junkyard apartment has housed this entire party before: so it’s no surprise they end up in a heap of blankets and empty bottles and limbs. 

  
  


The twins, both grumpy with their hangovers the next day, still remember the thought of a coffee shop. Thus, Vox Macchiato was born. 

  
  


Creating a coffee shop out of nothing had taken a good long while to plan. Percival, being the dapper young rich lord that he is, had sweetly offered to pay for at least some of the finances. He says it’s good that the twins are finally about to do something entirely legal and respectful- and ducks out of the way with a little grin when Vex aims her shoe at him. The twins have had plans before for crazier things: in the end, they had opened Vox Macchiato on a crisp Autumn morning, with a sleepy Keyleth working some magic to make plants grow and the flowers bloom. 

“I dig the logo,” Keyleth had murmured and blinked up at the sign hanging above the door, handpainted. 

“Fancy, isn’t it?” Vex’s hair had been tied into a tight ponytail, her tracksuit and her face annoyingly in order for that early in the morning. “Vax’s doing. I don’t have the patience to sit down and paint pretty pictures. If you want, you could come back to help out with the interior. There are still some things missing.” 

“Sure, sure,” Keyleth had said and then set out for her lectures of the day. 

  
  
  


Some years later, she is, indeed, one of Vox Macchiato’s most trusted, devoted customers. She updates their social media accounts, aside from her own with its thousands of followers. The rest of their merry band of misfits all work there, more or less, even to this day. 

But it’s the brain child of the illustrious, clever pair of twins and it’s where they’re found, in most days. Vox Macchiato isn’t particularly big and on summers and other hot days they set up a couple of tiny round tables outside. They’re still kept busy by tired businessmen and tired Academy students- and the occasional visit from nearby business owners. 

This particular one, however, Vex’ahlia hasn’t seen before. She’s manning the cash register this day, with Pike and Vax doing the heavy lifting and pastries in the backroom and Percy buried in paperwork upstairs in the little office slash guest room. 

Vex taps her pen against her lips and lifts her gaze when the rune above the door shimmers and lets out a little twinkling sound. 

“Welc- oh, hello. Welcome.”

The man who has stepped through the door must be either a newcomer to the neighbourhood- or a newcomer to the city. He is very noticeable, what’s with dressed in purple and glittering gold, his jacket opened just enough to reveal a broad dark chest. He doesn’t seem particularly bothered, that it’s beginning to get chilly outside. This human beams cheerfully and spreads his arms, as if to embrace the shop entirely to his bosom. 

“Good day, good day, absolutely lovely place you have here! I am new to the city and already running some errands while setting up my shop!” 

Vex’s eyebrows climb higher. She leans on her counter. “Haven’t seen you before, mister... ?” 

The man has very dark eyes, dark brown curls and warm brown skin, perfectly matching with his clothes. He offers his hand and Vex takes it. “Shaun Gilmore, purveyor of magical goods, sorcerer in my own right, herb salesman, you name it.” 

Vex hums. “Delighted. Vex’ahlia. Or just Vex. I run this place with my brother. How may we help you?”

Gilmore strokes his goatee, braided with golden string. He has little crows feet. “Well, I am glad to see I moved right next door to a place that clearly knows its magic and I am a great fan of coffee and those delightful looking pastries you have for sale.” He winks. “Also, that painted sign, although has some wear and tear, is absolutely darling. Could it be you were the painter?”

“Ha! I like you,” Vex says. “Also no, painting kind of pisses me off. My brother Vax’ildan, well, Vax to literally everyone, ’s the artistic, mopey type. He finally learned how to bake a year and a half ago, and thus is our main pastry chef. He’s surprisingly good.” Her eyes glimmer. 

Gilmore grins. He might be just a human, but he radiates magic. “One of those glorious looking little pastries, yes, those ones- and a large mug of something warm, with a dash of chocolate. Is it just you right now, miss Vex’ahlia?” 

Vex snorts. “No, no.” She waves hello to one of their regulars, arriving for a cup of coffee. Closely followed by Keyleth and a vaguely familiar guy with a braid. “I’d fucking die to be here on my own.”

Gilmore nods. “Ah, I understand perfectly. My beloved assistent Sherry is absolutely phenomenal in helping me in keeping my store - and dare I say, myself! - in check!” Politely he moves aside to let Keyleth and the guy with the braid to the counter. 

“Hey,” Keyleth says, chipper now that it’s the afternoon. 

The guy with the braid grunts. He has pretty striking heterochromia. “Hi,” he says, after getting elbowed extremely unsubtly by Keyleth. 

Vex lifts one perfectly molded eyebrow. “Nice to see you too today, Kiki. And who’s this?” 

The guy glares. Maybe it’s just his face. 

Keyleth beams. “This is Kashaw! Club captain! Stuff! We’re doing a project!” With every sentence, she claps Kashaw on the shoulder.

Vex’s eyes narrow. She smirks. “Want some coffee to go, Kiki and Kiki’s new… friend?” Her eyes flicker to Gilmore who is biting back a grin. It forms a delightful little dimple on his left cheek. “Oh, right. This is Gilmore. Shaun Gilmore. Our newest neighbour.”

Keyleth’s often chaotic focus shifts to Gilmore and she offers her hand, shakes Gilmore’s with her usual enthusiasm. 

“Delighted,” says Gilmore, smooth as honey. 

Kashaw grunts. He tugs on Keyleth’s arm. She blurts out her usual coffee order and plows on for her new manly friend, without listening. 

Vex bites her lip. “Vaaaaaaaaax! Come make some coffees!” She tugs on a clever little lever on the wall, by the door to the backroom. It leads to an unseen little bell, inside the hot baking area. 

Gilmore, curious, looks intently at this door. When it swings open, a cloud of flour spread into the air, followed by a man. His hair is pulled into a tight bun, a crooked hat on his head, his cheeks flushed. 

“The fuck you’re yelling for,” says Vax’ildan, because this is him indeed. The face is identical to Vex’s, except a little sharper, a little grumpier.

Gilmore grins. “Vax’ildan, I presume.” He strokes his goatee. 

Keyleth and Kashaw share a look. Vex clears her throat and smiles, sweet and innocent, at her brother. “Something sweet and with much whipped cream for our new neighbour Shaun Gilmore here-” 

“Good day, handsome,” says Gilmore. He puts his hands to his hips. It always accentuates his considerable chest.

“Uh,” says Vax. He quickly yanks off his crooked cook’s hat. His pointy ears seem a little droopy. He goes to wash his hands. “Hi, Kiki. Uh. You.”

“Kashaw,” says Kashaw. 

Keyleth bites her fist to not laugh. “My usual for me, just plain black for him.”

Vex rings up the orders. 

Gilmore pays last and lingers by the counter. Despite the twins being identical, there is something about Vax that just draws Gilmore’s gaze. Now that the elf is closer, Gilmore can see long hair pulled into a braid, rather skillfully curled into a bun, kept in place by a black scrunchie. Some strands have escaped and are tickling high, aristocratic cheekbones. Under the flush, Vax is paler than his sister. 

“You know, dude… if I hadn’t seen this before, if I wasn’t happily taken, I’d be a little offended.”

Gilmore blinks. 

Vex winks. She’s leaned closer to him, like a co-conspirator. “My brother’s single. And kinda mopey. But he can be really fun.”

The corner of Gilmore’s full mouth twitches. He lifts an eyebrow. “Oh? And why would I be interested?” Their voices aren’t quite hushed enough.

The tips of Vax’s pointy ears are pink.

Vex snorts and straightens up again. “He’s almost as pretty as me. Why wouldn’t you be?” Right at that second, Vax gets Gilmore’s grandiose drink ready and turns around. The flush on his cheeks is still there, now almost sweet. 

“Vex’ahlia,” he hisses under his breath.

Vex pats him on the head. “Give the nice man his drink.”

Vex has very dark eyes. The corner of his mouth lifts as he hands the tall glass of glorious warm deliciousness to Gilmore. Of course, their fingers brush. Of course, Gilmore can’t resist the temptation to add a little arcane sparkle. Just to see those pretty eyes widen a fraction.

“Thank you, my dear.”

Similar kind of mischief, as in the eyes of the lovely Vex’ahlia, lingers on Vax’s face. “Shaun Gilmore,” Vax says, softly. 

Gilmore winks. Oh. He’ll definitely be coming here again. 


End file.
